Legendary Aussie band Jebediah are rumoured to be playing at this year’s AFL grand final in Perth, with a particularly provocative song expected to be the show stealer. With the AFL looking to secure the services of a local act for the first ever competition decider in Western Australia, it was a no-brainer to ask Jebediah, one of the Perth rock scene’s most beloved exports.

And while the AFL have been working closely with the band on a preferred set list, there has allegedly been some debate over Jebediah playing their hit single “Leaving Home”, with the Victorian government even weighing in on the issue. A source close to the organising committee said, “Well, you know the AFL has become more and more political in recent years, and with the location of the grand final shifting two years in a row now, state governments have been more involved than ever before. And even though the Victorian government really has no place in this discussion, they’re adamant that playing the song ‘Leaving Home’ would be against strict public health advice. They reckon there’d be rioting on the streets if that happened. Especially when you consider most footy fans will have been drinking since lunchtime and will be tanked by the time the pre-game entertaining starts at about 6pm.”

The inside source also spectacularly claimed that the Victorian government had even lobbied for the lyrics of the song to change if the band insisted on playing it on the nation’s largest sporting stage. The said, “Yep, I know it seems ridiculous, but they were talking to the band and asking if some changes could be made to the lyrics. Something like ‘Leaving home, there are only five reasons to be leaving home…’ Musically that doesn’t even make sense, but I guess those politicians aren’t in the music business, so what do you expect?”

Advertisement